The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-07-28

an rpuonlAL ROMANCE.

Mr.. Parker VAS furried; bis face VA
disturbed. almost distorted. by an uousua
expression Of annoyance and disgust; AMI
when his eye glasses dropped from bi
noe. ~ they bad way Of doing. be re
placed them With kiad Of vicious energy
His dssk vas 10 . state Of chaos TO whiel
he bed reduced IL 10 half hours searcl
o, increasing vigcri usually i, was mode
OF neainess aud order. every pigeon hol'
wAs distinctly marked and dedicated 10 !
specific purpose, aud every paper lodged
in Sny one OF these carefully Disseminated
spertures vas numbered. dated and deity
folded. II was . part Of John Parker''
character 10 be orderly aud II was also
the pecessity Of his occupation. As the
managing editor OF popular magazine,
which furnished large number Of readers
with . monthly installment Of the best
current literature. he found himself in the
vortex Of whirlpool Of correspondence
aud manuscripts that came in every morn
ing with the buoyant energy OF food
tide, and subsided every afternoon with
the lsnguid. relunctant movement OF an
ebb that always left discoursing debris
behind. There were days when Mr.. Par
ker actually hated the mail and mentally
wished the government might come TO
some temporary ruin in order that the
mails might be suspended for week.
But the wished for disturbance never
came. and the government continued to
perform its functions as letter carrier with
deliberate regularity.
The work Of conducting large cores
pondencs was enormous enough, but 1t
was the reading OF manuscripts which
devoured Mr.. Psrker's time, consumed
bis mental yigor. exhausted bis patience,
and kept him continually on the verge OF
esigning his position. They came from
oil quarters OF our cspacious country and
from beyond the seas; they treated every
possible theme in every conceivable man
mer. and they exhibited every variety Of
penmanship from the formal precision Of
apparent copperplate TO the free, bold
hand which scorned all the traditions OF
chirography.
When Mr.. Parker reached his Office in
the morning be exchanged his Prince
Albert frock coat which he uniformly wore
for less pretentious garment, carefully
adjusted his eye glasses, and seated him
self at his desk with an expression in
which Roman fortituds and Christian res
ignstion were happily mingled. He pro-
ceeded to separate the heap OF manuscript
which an assistant had placed before him
into three smaller piles; in one be collect
ed all the verse, in . second, all the stories,
and in third oil the miscellaneous con.
tIibutions Then he read conscientiously,
verse, tale and essay, marked larger
mum Der OF each kind with an unhesitsting
and an unmistakablc r. noted the fact OF
acceptance on ona or two. and reserved
few for further consideration. As rule
this work brought him to midday, and the
second chapter OF his daily task.
At thirty, Mr. Parker had already ac-
quired an orderliness which had become
q second nature; and therefore he was
hurried and disturbed on
this particular morning by his inability
TO find certain manuscript which be had
read, folded and endorsed with his appro
val one week before. In his endeavor to
lind It he had thoroughly examined every
part Of his desk, searched every pigeon
hole, and now, flushed and little dusty,
he was celebrating IS to what he should
do next. At length be touched an electric
boil at the side Of his desk. and was imme
iiately confronted by small boy.
"Ask Mr. Perkins to come here a mo
meut"
The boy disappeared and was replaced
! moment later by Mr.. Perkins, who also
wore eye glasses and was one OF the as
sistsnt editors.
Good morning, Mr.. Perkins. Am
great deal troubled because l have mis- .
laid manuscript. 1t came about week s
ago, and was very uncommon story. I he
title was John Dolline's Quest Do you
seeing it?"
Mr.. Parker looked at the assistant edi- q
Tor with evident hope OF an answer that s
would end oil bis perplsxiiy, bat he was
= II sN -
doomed 10 disappointment Mr.. Perkins
aad not read the msunscript and knew 9
nothing about H. Nj. Parker thereupon, }
md very deliberately. examined bis desk :
! second time without any result. then 8
walked up and down his Office few min I
ties in evident veIstion. aud finally re- !
severed himself with an effort. rang for
and addressed himself to his
Al half past four Mr.. Parker was ready I
o leave his Office, he had cleared his !
lesk. resumed his Prince Albert frock, u
md was on the point Of putting on his v
igLt overcost, when the boy brought bin =
card. He put on his eye glasses aud II
ooked M it suspiciously; he evidently '
xpected new contributor y
Miss Elinor Ferguson" be mut,ered '
,so rooe; who 10 the world is she? >
Veil. speaking to the boy, who stood y
rating. 'show her ID" = :
Miss Elinor Ferguson proved to be "
cry comely young person, simply but =
dressed. and conveying by her y
uist dignity and composure foil informs. V
ion ~ 10 her social traditions and sur -
oundinga Mr.. Parker Was prominently !"
person Of taste; be knew ins,Inctively !"
'hss vas good, not only IN quality bu, 10 !.
orm. and before be bad asked his visitor
o be seated be had given her the benefit .
I bis unqualified approval. The young
"A hssitsisi = mnnert a. IN the bnstness "